Improvement in car-couplings



2 Sh,eets--Sheet1.

W. A. BOYDEN.

Gar-CouplingL Patented F-PEHWHIOTQLITHOGRAYHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrro WILLIAM A. BOYDEN, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM E. DOUGHEBTY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of. Letters Patent No. 159,636, dated February 9, 1875; application filed August 5, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. BoYDEN, of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Gar- Couplers, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to the combination of an angle-iron with the interior of the inner end of the draw-head, the said angle-iron being confined thereto by means of a pin, and against the follower by means of the head of the spring-bolt, as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the contiguous platforms of two cars, the upper and front portions of one platform being removed to show the arrangement of my improvements with the draw-head more clearly. Fig. 2, Sheet No.2, is a side elevation of one of the platforms and parts at- -tached, and a vertical section at the line a: w

of Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference in both figures indicate the same parts.

A A are the platforms of the contiguous ends of two cars with my improved coupler in connection therewith. B B are the drawheads. They have division-plates a in their front ends, of different heights, for holding the coupling-link O in accommodation to cars of different heights. D D are the followers of the coupling-link. They have horizontal grooves b. In the inner ends of the draw-heads B are angle-irons E, which are secured by means of pins F. (Shown clearly in the vertical section of Fig. 2.) The angle-irons E and followers D are held firmly together between the front ends of the springs H and the head of the rods I, to give a strong support to the draw-heads when the followers are brought to rest. The coupling-pins J are elevated by means of the rocking shafts K, provided with lifting-arms L, in combination with the connecting-rods M and lifting-bar L. (Shown clearly in Fig. 2.) The rocking shafts are so arranged as to their vertical position as to cause the lifting-arms to rest upon the platforms A as a support when the pins J are in their lower position, and to facilitate the free vertical movement of said pins. The levers N on the ends of the rocking shafts are so arranged as to turn the rockshafts K in such a manner as to cause the descent of the coupling-pins J when two contiguous cars are brought together, and the coupling-links C have forced the followers D backward far enough to admit of the descent of the pins J, the lower ends of which previously rest upon the upper edges of the followers.

Hand-wheels provided with counter-weights may be used instead of the levers N.

I claim as my inventio n The combination of the angle-iron E, pin F, draw-head B, follower D, and the spring-rod I, for holding the draw-head in its forward position, substantially as described.

. WM. A. BOYDEN.

Witnesses:

H. SHELLENBERGER, W. E. DOUGHERTY. 

